The United Way is advocating for the working poor.
While many of us are familiar with federal poverty income guidelines, we may know less about survival and stable household incomes.
Federal poverty guidelines were developed in the 1960s, and last updated in the 1970s, United Way of Greater Lima CEO Carole Braden-Clark said Monday. The guidelines don’t come close to measuring the income a household needs to afford the most basic necessities, let alone provide stability for a family.
In 2009, United Way studied families and coined a phrase for the working poor, ALICE: Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed. In Ohio, United Way counts 1.2 million ALICE households, and in all 88 counties, at least 20 people of the population lives below the poverty income guidelines.
To see the difference in these incomes, Braden-Clark contrasted three numbers for a family of four:
The federal poverty guideline: $24,500
Survival household income: $60,396
Stability household income: $104,088.
Unites Way concentrates its effort on ALICE families, Braden-Clark said, and works with their partner agencies to move families to self-sufficiency. In Ohio, that has been particularly challenging, she said. Through the Great Recession, the number of ALICE families grew faster than the overall population, and the recession hit those families hardest.
United Way advocates for increases to the earned income tax credit, child tax credit. The agency also supports innovative ways to replace older housing with new, smaller, more affordable housing. Small things can make a difference, also Braden-Clark said, such as working with employers to offer steady work schedules for families with child care and transportation needs.
In other Rotary news:
Tickets remain for the reverse raffle Feb. 17. They are $125 each, and additional dinners are $25.
The club is close to reaching the $15,000 End Homelessness Campaign goal. The previous week’s fellowship raised $285, and the total now stands at more than $12,600.
Nearly everyone in the room had at least tried Shirley’s Gourmet Popcorn. They may not, however, have known the story behind its success or the company’s philosophy that has it growing.
Dan Stanowick, communications and brand manager with Shirley’s, spoke to Lima Rotary Club for a belated celebration of National Popcorn Day.
The company opened its doors in 2009 and started its first franchise location in 2012. Today, the Bluffton flagship store remains strong, while there are franchise locations in Toledo, Findlay, Westerville, Lima, Harrisburg, Va., and Goshen, Ind.
The company has six priorities for success, Stanowick said: relationships with customers, employee development, innovation, quality, integrity, and being market-driven, not profit-driven.
Every employee receives 40 hours of training initially, and every employee, including every member of the leadership team, can do every job in the store. That employee will greet you as you enter the store, and be with you until you check out. No assembly-line style customer service and no grab-and-go popcorn bags, Stanowick said.
The company’s signature charitable cause is reading and literacy. Last year alone, the Lima and Bluffton stores donated $9,000 to the Dolly Parton Imagination Library. And the company has created its own children’s book, “Timothy Troyer Tries Toast,” a story about a child entrepreneur. The book is not sold, but only given away at certain times and special events.
“We’re committed to growing the same way we always have — carefully, slowly, and with quality,” Stanowick said.
In other Rotary business:
So far, the club has raised $5,800 for Polio Plus.
Shelly Diepenbrock and Tasha Shepline exchanged their red badges for their earned blue badges.
Bath High School Interact danced the night away at their annual Father Daughter Dance.
The Bath HS Interact Club hosted their annual father daughter dance last Saturday night. This is the biggest and most important fundraiser for the club. Dads and their little girls danced the night away and had a great night under the stars in the Bath Elementary gymnasium. Funds from the dance will support programs and projects for the Interact club throughout the year.
On January 19th the Bath HS Interact Club distributed 700 mini United States flags during the boys varsity basketball game at Bath gymnasium in conjunction with OSHAA Military Appreciation Night. Also, Bath Interact Club member, Alex Davis sang “The Star Spangled Banner” at the start of the game. The students or red white and blue and showed their patriotism and USA pride.
The Bath HS Interact Club were issued new shirts to wear to official events throughout the school year. All-American Publishing provided 100 free shirts to the club which also display logos of area businesses who served as sponsors.
Don't miss the second annual Rotary Reverse Raffle, Saturday, February 17th. It's a fun and exciting night with good friends. The purse is $10,000 and we'll also have a silent auction and a 50/50 drawing. Tickets are just $125 and include one meal. Additional meal tickets are $25. See Jay Begg for tickets.
Join us for Social Hour on February 27, sponsored by Jodie Robinson.
Come "flamingle" with Shawnee Living Magazine, which is sponsoring the upcoming Rotary Social Hour on February 27th at the business of one of its residents, Vino Bellissimo. There'll be Sara's Sweets flamingo cupcakes, Marc at Vino will be providing flamingle themed food, Jodie will have door prizes from some of her magazine's business partners, and there will be fun activities.
Please wear something pink to go with the theme and make a $5 donation to WOCAP for our homeless project.
The Lima Rotary Club Business Directory is now online.
Looking to do business with fellow Rotarians? Check out the Lima Rotary Club's Business Directory. It lists Rotarians and their businesses by category, so you can find Rotarians to help you with anything you need. Just go to LimaRotary.com and click the Our Club tab.
The Rotary Foundation scored a perfect 100 from Charity Navigator. Less than 1% of the thousands of charities rated by Charity Navigator earn perfect scores!
